Chapter 344: Railroad (3)

The Lighthouse Analysis released anonymously by Louina was sending turbulence through the continent. A comet would destroy everything. From the nobles of the Empire and kingdoms to the lowly commoners and the prisoners, everyone was talking about it.

That wasn't surprising. You could tell right away by looking at the sky even if you couldn't understand Louina's theory or even read that something was approaching.

—The continent will collapse! God's punishment will destroy the humans!

All those voices discussing destruction shook the continent. Social unrest was inevitable, breaking out across the continent as murder and looting spread like a plague.

"No need to hurry. The advance has already been decided."

However, in the innermost chamber of the Imperial Palace, Sophien was calm. She practiced Go while meeting the ministers of a certain country who had visited.

Tap—

She put the black stone down first and then the white stone with her other hand.

Tap—

Again, she placed two down.

Tap—

So, at the end of a match against herself-

"Your Majesty the Emperor."

Maho opened her mouth. Sophien raised her head and glared.

"When I was staying at the Imperial Palace, we talked."

Yuren's president Maho continued to speak softly. She didn't hesitate even in front of the emperor.

"But now Your Majesty has become emperor, and I have become president of the Principality."

"And?"

Sophien asked. Maho's expression turned serious.

"...The continent is in danger."

It was another way to say this wasn't the time to sit around and play Go. However, for Sophien, Go was more important than anything else, even destruction.

"Wait until I'm done."

The last match with Deculein. For that, to defeat that guy who had never been defeated.

"However, Your Majesty...."

Sophien handed a letter over, quieting Maho.

"Take it."

"...?"

"These are the ones I've personally selected. These are the faces that will be sent to Annihilation."

Maho read it. Including the Red Garnet Adventure Team, Lawaine, Delric, Yeriel, and...

"...Your Majesty. What are these names?"

Maho's eyes were fixed on a certain paragraph.

──Desert's Ellie, Elesol, and Carixel.

They were the names of Demon Bloods. Among them, Elesol was a wanted woman.

Sophien responded while fiddling with the Go stones.

"With a comet coming, won't the continent perish? There is no need to ignite human hatred when the greatest evils are right before our eyes."

Maho swallowed hard, more nervous than ever.

"Your Majesty...."

Now she felt that this emperor was incredibly admirable. She broke the chain of hatred going on for hundreds of years as if it were nothing...

"Yes. You are very right."

Tap—

Sophien put the black stone down.

"But Your Majesty, this anonymous lighthouse analysis."

She carefully put down the book she produced from behind her. Sophien grinned.

"...I know. I've read it."

"Oh. Is that so?"

Maho cleared her throat. Now, as the head of Yuren facing the emperor, she had a few things she must say.

"Also, Your Majesty. We did our research."

"Research?"

Tap—

Maho continued as she watched the board slowly fill.

"Yes. Your Majesty's enemies are everywhere within the Empire, including the Magic Tower and the Knights Order. First, we'll find them...."

"I already know about that."

"...?"

Maho tilted her head. She forgot her dignity for a moment as her eyes went wide.

"I know about the enemies scattered throughout the Empire and who invented the spell for this lighthouse."

"Oh! Really?!"

The public still didn't know who built the lighthouse that was trying to destroy the continent right now.

"Yes."

Sophien nodded as if talking about a trivial matter. After all, did the emperor know everything, even in her indolence?

"As expected."

When Maho's admiration left her-

"It's Deculein."

"...?"

Maho's face hardened.

Tap-!

Sophien's next black stone cracked a corner of the woodblock. It was a strategic move where the black stones devoured the white, a genius move that no other expert would ever think of. Sophien sneered and turned her gaze to Maho as if satisfied.

"I mean that Deculein."

"No... there's no way...."

"Hmph. That's what it is. Maho, it's the guy who saved your life and Yuren."

Sophien rested her chin on her hands. With her eyes on fire, she stared down Maho.

"He's trying to destroy the continent."

"!"

Maho held her breath, her hands tightening around her skirt's hem.

"The evidence is everywhere. Most of all, the professors who served him sent an anonymous letter."

Sophien slid a piece of paper over. A whistleblower document sent by Relin and the other professors from the Imperial University, handwritten and cowardly, stated the madness of this impending destruction was Deculein's work.

"You should read it too."

"..."

Maho took it with trembling hands.

"And then, join the expedition. We will kill Deculein...."

* * *

I climbed the lighthouse. The interior was pleasant because of the nature of my Snowflake Obsidian, and it was beautiful because my aesthetic sense permeated every stone. From the top of the lighthouse, I looked at the sky and watched the movement of the celestial body descending into the world.

Then, suddenly, I felt a pang of worry about the condition of the knight standing behind me.

"Julie, is this place okay?"

"Yes. Of course."

Her complexion had improved.

"It's a space made of Snowflake Obsidian, isn't it?"

"...It is."

In other words, this was the most harmonious space for Julie right now. The Snowflake Obsidian would embrace her with the optimal cold.

"By the way, how are you feeling?"

Julie took a step closer and asked. I looked to the sky again. In Annihilation's dark and murky expanse, the occasional twinkling stars and moonlight were beautiful.

"...It feels like a clock pendulum is moving inside my body."

Tick-tock-.

Tick-tock-.

This heart had already lost its function, but something else inside my body — may be something called the soul — was moving me.

"It's curious, right?"

I closed my eyes for a moment. I could feel the resonance in the air, the mana of the sky, and even the dust of the earth. All those little things were understood.

"It is said that a person attains the greatest enlightenment at the moment of death. Maybe I'm like that too."

Of course, Rohakan had that 'Brief Rejuvenation Before Death' characteristic. However, obtaining freedom at the moment of death wasn't something all humans had in common. Being freed from everything that binds one, the land they stand on and the sky beyond, the boundary from which they can't escape.

Indifference to the world. Thought is freed from bondage, insight penetrates the essence of the world, and the mind is unique.

"I think I can understand the world now."

I quietly closed my eyes.

"It seems the moment of transcendence isn't far away."

Then, Julie took a step forward. She came close and hugged me, wrapping her arms tight around my waist.

"Hmm?"

"...You promised that you wouldn't go before me."

Those words brought a smile involuntarily to my lips. I nodded.

"...Yeah."

I put my hand on hers and slowly moved my mana. I didn't need that much power; just the mana contained in my staff was enough. I thought I understood the principles of this world now, so there was no need to waste mana.

Gwoooohhh...

The mana generated by the staff permeated the lighthouse and began to resonate. The blue and white light that burst out like a waterfall doused us. In its trembling, the lighthouse gently radiated the way.

The place the road would reach was far away, but the comet was quickly arriving.

"...Julie."

I looked back.

"Can you protect me for three days?"

The magic I sought would be realized in three days. The magical ending wasn't simply a planetary collision, however. It was a miracle that would be realized using the mana generated from the collision.

"Of course."

Julie smiled deeply. As if she was genuinely happy, she knelt on one knee, clutching her sword.

"I, Julie, as your eternal sword, will no matter what."

Looking at her, I laughed. In the end, Deculein wouldn't end up with Julie and wouldn't be able to reach that ideal called love, but...

"I will protect you."

Her happiness was mine.

* * *

Gwoooooh...

At the same time, the lighthouse's call spread across the continent and in the ridges near Annihilation.

"!"

Lia's eyes grew large as she glanced around. The Masal team members sleeping around her were also waking one by one.

"Did you feel it?!"

Lia asked. Ganesha nodded, and Lawaine had already placed his hand on the sheath.

"What was it?"

Lawaine asked. Lia raised herself and looked beyond the mountains.

"...Oh."

The lighthouse could be seen at a glance from this ridge.

"Look at that."

Lia pointed up, and the Masal team members followed.

"...I see it's shining~?"

Ganesha said.

Rumble-!

At that moment, a huge roar shook the earth. In the next, a message formed across Lia's retinas.

[Lighthouse Activation — 72:00]

The remaining time was only three days. Through Elementalization, Lia peered into the distant lighthouse.

"!"

Her heart began to pound.

"What?"

"...Deculein."

Deculein was looking at her. He stared straight to where she stood, and when their eyes met, he smiled.

"It's okay."

Ganesha placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Support will come soon from all over the world."

Support from all over the world. Yes. Everyone on the continent who wants to prevent the comet from falling would come here. They would kill Deculein and try to destroy the lighthouse.

"We will win."

Lawaine said with confidence. He looked at the blue and white tower, almost admiring its appearance.

"But that is the Professor's taste. It's pretty."

"...Yeah."

The lighthouse was beautiful. Not only its external appearance but also the road of light that it emits now.

"Leo. Carlos?"

Lia called the two children. The two, watching with rapture, returned to their senses.

"Yes? What?"

"Can you go in first? You guys won't raise suspicion from the people there."

Leo and Carlos were also quite close with the Altar, thanks to the children's unique innocence.

"Yes!"

"Okay."

Using children as scouts bothered her, but they weren't weak enough to be treated so easily.

"But, Lia. You know. If I meet Deculein first."

Leo was about to run right away, but Carlos looked back with a somewhat bothered expression.

"Can I kill him?"

"..."

Lia pondered, but the answer came from someone else.

—No.

A voice even with anger. The red-haired Munchkin on the other side of Lia's sleeping bag spoke.

—It is my responsibility to kill Deculein, the wrathful traitor who betrayed me...

In response to the Emperor's declaration, everyone simply agreed.